Portable self-contained liquid cooling apparatus



y 1951 F. G. RIEDEL 2,554,638

PORTABLE SELF-CONTAINED LIQUID COOLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 23, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 J0 INVENTOR Ham-men 6. R/EDEL BY M41114? TTORN YS May 29, 1951 F. G. RIEDEL 2,

PORTABLE SELF-CONTAINED LIQUID COOLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 23, 1949 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill", if I J 15 I I '11: i f 9r J5 I? 1- l I l I jg, l I j w I I I t ,I I I M l I i 4 50 3am j ii J? .15 i If 51- .51 i .l

.. l\ i v 17 25 2.9 7 I 1' 1 r v m U 5 INVENTOR FEEDER/CK 6.1215051.

BY (Z414 7 ATTOR EYS May 29, 1951 I F. G. RlEDEL 2, 4, 8

PORTABLE SELF-CONTAINED LIQUID COOLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 23, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR fkznzmclr G. Ewan,

TTORN \rs Patented May 29, 1951 PORTABLE SELF-CONTAINED LIQUID COOLING APPARATUS Frederick G. Riedel, Holyoke, Mass., assignor of one-half field, Mass.

to Raymond S. F. Graham, Spring- Application November 23, 1949, Serial No. 129,063

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to mechanical refrigerating apparatus and particularly to aportable unit for cooling drinking water or other beverages.

An object of the invention is to provide a small self-contained liquid cooler of novel and attractive appearance which can be conveniently placed on a flat surface as a desk or table top.

Another object is to provide an electrically operated refrigerating system for liquids in which the motor and compressor unit are hermetically sealed and. completely housed within the cooling tank.

A further object of the invention is to provide an efiicient and compact structure which will automatically cool and keep a fluid at a uniform low temperature.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the apparatus in connection with the accompanying drawings.

.In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation drawn to slightly less than half scale of a preferred form of the apparatus with a gravity fed water supply;

Fig. 2 is a similar View partly in section of another form of the apparatus using a. pressure feed;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross section to show details of the compressor valve construction;

Figs. 5 and 6 are views on lines 5--5 and 6-6 respectively of Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is a detail view showing oil gear pump structure;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 88 of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a simplified wiring diagram for the controls of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings the apparatus as shown by Figs. 1 and 2 is enclosed in a casing H) with the refrigerating apparatus completely housed therein. In Fig. l a water bottle or demijohn l I is inverted to lie supported on a circular rubber gasket I2 at the edge of a top opening 13 for a tank 14 of the device.

Tank 14 is in the form of a bell shaped struc ture with a circular plate l5 horizontally disposed slightly below the outlet of the demijohn. The peripheral edge of plate I5 is downwardly turned, being at the edge portions mounted on the upper edge of a cylindrical jacket casing wall IS. The bottom of tank [4 consistslo'f an an nular bottom ring plate I! fixed to the outer side wall of cylinder IS in the lower portion thereof.

The outer edge of plate ll is joined to the lowermost edge of a vertically disposed hollow cylinder I8 of greater diameter than cylinder IS. The upper end of cylinder I8 is attached to a circular top cover portion IQ of the outer side wall of casing I0.

Immediately below the outlet of demijohn H, the circular plate It is dished downwardly in the central portions thereof to insure proper flow from the demijohn. Thus the deeper cylindrical skirted portion of the bell shaped tank I4 may be quickly filled on placing the demijohn reservoir supply in the position shown.

The bottom end of the cylindrical wall l6 abuts a base plate 20 of the casing l0. Plate 20 as shown is spaced below the annular bottom plate ll of tank !4 and forms the bottom support for the side walls of casing 10 and the supports for the compressor as will be described. A top cover 2| shown in dotted line as resting on gasket [2 is provided for closing the top of tank M for hygienic reasons when the demijohn is removed.

In the bottom plate 20 of the casing are spaced triangularly disposed flanged openings 22 through which hard rubber base supports 23 are mounted.

Rubber base supports 23 are outwardly flanged as at 24 and supported thereby are shook absorbing compression springs 25 embracing said supports. An upwardly extending flanged bracket 26 rests on springs 25 being held thereon as by studs 21 and nuts 23, studs 2'! extending through the flange of the bracket and being integral with spacers 29. The head of a tie bolt 30 is recessed in the lower end of rubber support 23.

The brackets 26 are flanged at the top and fixed as by welding to a base member 3| of a compressor housing of the device. Also fixed to the bottom of the base 3| as by Welding .is a cylinder 32 forming the liquid refrigerant receiver vessel of the apparatus as will be described.

The base 3! is a dish shaped plate With a downwardly turned peripheral flange, the edges of which are brazed or welded to the lower edge portions of a bell shaped casting or compressor and motor housing 33. The housing 33 and base 3| form an hermetically sealed unit in which is mounted the motor, the compressor and an oil pump, the unit being resiliently supported on the rubber base supports 23.

Between the hermetically sealed housing and cylindrical Wall Q6 of tank it is interposed an insulating cylinder 34. the upper end of which is attached to the circular plate E5 of tank M adjacent its outer edge and the lower end of which abuts the bottom plate 20 of easing I0.

A motor supporting spider 35 disposed in the upper central portion of the housing interior supports within its upwardly extending cylindrical wall 36 a motor 31. A shaft 38 of the motor is vertically positioned centrally of the housing 33 and extends downwardly into a crankcase through a motor shaft bearing 39 in the spider 35. Between motor 31 and the bearing 39 of the spider is a ball bearing and race 40 to take the thrust of the motor. Spaced sleeve bushings 4| keep motor shaft 28 in vertical alignment.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3 two horizontally disposed open ended cylinders 42 are formed in the side wall of the crankcase and are spaced.

at ninety degrees. Pistons 43 are mounted in the cylinders, and are reciprocated by an eccentric 44 fixed off center on motor shaft 38 as by a key 45. Freely mounted on eccentric 44 are surrounding eccentric collars 46 with integral connecting rods 41. The outer ends of rods 41 are connected to pistons 43.

With this structure the circular motion of shaft 38 is converted into reciprocating rectilinear motion to reciprocate pistons 43 in cylinders 42.

The lower end of motor shaft 38 (see Figs. 1, 7 and 8) is connected to a central shaft 49 of a gear pump having two cover plates 59 and El with a ring housing 52 between them. Lower cover plate has short supportin legs 53 (Fig. 2) resting on the base support 3|. On shaft 49 of the gear pump is a gear 54 which meshes with and drives a gear 55 in the pumping chamber within housing 52. Gear 55 is on a stub shaft 56 the ends of which are freely rotatable in openings of cover plates 59 and 5 I.

Central gear drive shaft 49 i freely rotatable in openings of the cover plates and below the end of shaft 49 in the lower plate 5| is a chamber 5'! connected with the outlet side of the pump as by a passage 58.

The pump is immersed in a. supply of oil which is provided therefor at the bottom of the motor and compressor housing 33, an oil level being indicated by line a, as in Fig. 1. Oil is pumped (see Fig. '7) through an inlet passage 59 to the outlet chamber 69 of the pump and through its outlet passage 6! to the passage 58 to chamber 5'! (Fig. 8). A suitable pressure relief valve is provided as at b (Fig. 5)

Shaft a9 is hollow and motor shaft 38 has an axial passage 62 extending upwardly beyond the spacing between sleeve bushings 4| of crankcase spider bearing 39. A lateral opening at 63 leading from axial opening 62 at the top supplies oil to bushings 4|. Lateral openings at 64 supply oil to grooves 65 of the collars 46 of the connecting rods.

The cylindrical liquid refrigerant vessel 32 is provided at the bottom with an outlet 66 and is connected by a capillary tube 61, which leads through an opening in the insulating cylinder 34, to an expansion chamber 66. Chamber 68 at the top of the wall [6 is in turn connected with the upper end of flattened cooling coils 69 which abut the inside surface of vertical cylinder |6 along that portion of the cylinder wall which forms the inner wall of cooling tank I4. Cooling coils 69 are flattened to present a relatively large area of contact with the wall of tank I4.

At the lower end of the cooling coils is connected a tube 79 leading to an inlet 1| in the upper portion of the housing 33.

Fluid from inlet 1| is permitted free access to all portions of the housing interior, as will be described, by openings as at 12 in the crankcase,

the annular plate provide a drip pan.

4 and as at 13 in a web positioning the top of walls 36 with respect to the wall of housing 33.

On the side of the crankcase housing and closin the ends of cylinders 42 (Fig. 3) are twin chambered cups 14 bolted to the housing. As shown by Fig. 4 one of the chambers is provided with an inlet V5 for a suction chamber 16 leading v to the cylinder 42 through suction ports '11. Discharge ports 18 lead from the cylinder to the other chamber, an exit or pressure chamber 19. Chamber 19 is provided with discharge outlet 80. Gasket seals 8| and 82 provide a fluid tight connection for the cup assembly.

At the outlet side of suction ports H is a oneway valve 83 which may be of any well known valvestructure. An economical structure is to mount a thin strip 34 (see Fig. 5) of Swedish spring steel over the ports 11. The ends of the strip 84 are loosely held by retainer clips 85 on plate 9| so that the strip will bow outwardly under suction pressure and open the valve. Pressure chamber 19 connected with cylinder 42 by discharge port 18 has a one-way valve 66 similarly constructed at its outlet side. Connected to discharge outlets 89 of the device are manifolded discharge conduit lines 81 (Figs. 1 and 2) leading through pipe 88 to the top of the condenser coils 89. The condenser coils are disposed in a recessed portion of the outside casing. The recess is formed'by cylindrical wall 90, its top edge being attached to top cover portion I9 and its lower edge to a lower side wall portion 9| of the casing.

The lower end of condenser coils 89 leads to a liquid cooler coil 92 abutting the inside wall of cylinder l6 under the flattened cooling coils 69. The liquid cooler coil 92 is connected to a conduit 93 which extends into the upper part of the liquid 'receiver vessel 32 through an opening in the wall of the vessel.

A control mechanism and circuit for operation of the device is diagrammatically shown by the wiring diagram of Fig. 9. Line wire 94 leads to a thermostat 95 and from the latter to a second thermostat 96, thence to motor 31 and back to the source.

The first thermostat 95 is designed for placement on the bottom of tank 4 as shown at 95 in Fig. 1. It is in contact with the underside of Thus the thermostat re sponds to the temperature of liquid in tank l4. When the temperature rises above a predetermined point the thermostat closes the circuit and starts the motor.

The second thermostat 96 is designed for a safety device and is governed by the heat of the motor. In the event the motor is overheated the circuit will be opened and the motor shut down. As in Fig. l a, fluid tight box 9'! is provided on the outside of motor housing 33 to enclose thermal posts at 98 for the wiring connections to the motor.

An outlet for the tank I4 is provided as by a faucet 99 in the lower side wall cylinder 9| of the casing ID with a connecting conduit I30 from the tank. Below the faucet a sliding tray |0| is for concealing a glass within the cooler and to Walls l6 and 34 may be depressed at this location to receive the tray.

The operation of the cooler is as follows.

:Vessel 32 is partially filled with any volatile liquid refrigerant such. as (Freon '12) dichlorodifluoromethane When the. motor starts the cylinder and piston pumps in operation, the liquid retube 9'! into the expansion chamber 60 where the liquid evaporates and passes into the flattened cooling coils 69. The coils are chilled by the effect of the expanding gas and absorption of heat by vaporization of the low-boiling liquid refrigerant. Since coils 69 are in direct contact with one side of tank I4, the heat in the contents of tank I4 is transferred to the coils through the wall of the tank.

The evaporated gas is drawn from the bottom of the cooling coils through the suction line in tube 50 and into motor housing 33 through opening II. The gas in the housing surrounds the motor parts and being relatively cool assists in preventing its overheating during operation of the motor. The gas is drawn from the housing into inlet chambers '56 of cups M where it passes through the inlet valves into cylinders 42 at each suction stroke of the pistons.

On each discharge stroke of the pistons compressed gas is forced out through discharge valves I8 and through discharge conduits 36 to the top of the condenser coils 89 mounted on the outside of the device. The gas is herein cooled by the heat loss through the condenser coils and is liquified in the coils.

To assure liquefaction of the gas, fluid from thepcondenser coils passes into the liquid cooler coil .92 disposed beneath the cooling coils 69 to receive any condensation drip from the cooling coils and from the inner surface of cylinder I6. The liquid is then returned to vessel 32 completing the refrigeration cycle.

The structure is easily adapted to function as a fountain or bubbler as shown by Fig. 2. A top cover I02 is substituted for cover l9 of easing I0. Cover I02 is shaped to support a basin I03 with an outlet I04 and drain pipe I05 extending to the lower portion of casing I0. A supply conduit I06 extends into casing I and is connected to an opening I01 of a plate I00 for the covering of tank I4. The edge of plate I08 is fastened on the upper edge of cylinder I8.

A bubbler head I09 with a spigot and handle is mounted on the rim of cover I02 at the edge of basin I03 with a conduit I I 0 connected thereto from the bottom of tank l4 through the wall of cylinder I8. A vent valve I I I is also mounted on the rim of cover I02 and connected with drain I by a vent tube H2.

Tank I4 in this form of the apparatus is also provided with a drain plug H3 at the bottom thereof in plate I'I.

It will be noted that the device as shown by Fig. 1 is a portable unit requiring only its coni nection to a source of electrical current. The form of Fig. 2 needs as well connection to a supply of Water under pressure. In either event, however, the unit itself requires a minimum of space and may be conveniently placed on a table top or other flat surface as desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In a portable liquid cooling apparatus a liquid cooling tank, being in vertical section of inverted. U shape and receiving substantially Within the vertical depending sides thereof an hermetically sealed unit having a liquid coolant chamber and a chamber housing a motor and compressor operated by said motor, cooling coils connected to said coolant chamber and compressor and positioned in contact with said vertical tank sides, condenser coils connected to said compressor surrounding said tank in spaced relation therefrom and means controlled by the temperature of the tank to actuate said motor.

2. A portable liquid cooling device having a cylindrical outer casing wall with an opening at the top thereof formed to receive an inverted demijohn, a bell shaped liquid cooling tank of inverted U-shape in vertical cross-section in communication with said top opening and having its outer depending side walls inwardly spaced from said cylindrical casing wall, condenser coils on the outside of said casing Wall, cooling coils positioned on the inner cylindrical side walls of said tank, an hermetically sealed unit having a chamber housing a motor and compressor operated by said motor. and a liquid coolant receiver chamber, said unit being mounted within the depending sides of the cylindrical tank wall, conduits connecting said compressor, cooling and condenser coils, and receiver chamber, means controlled by the temperature of the tank to actuate said motor, and an outlet conduit for said tank at the side of the casing wall.

3. A portable liquid cooling device having a cylindrical outer casing side wall and a top wall fitted with a drinking fountain basin, a bell shaped liquid cooling tank of inverted U-shape in vertical cross-section encased within said side wall and spaced therefrom, condenser coils surrounding said tank on the outside of said casing wall, cooling coils positioned on the inner vertical depending side Wall of said tank, an hermetically sealed motor and compressor unit with a chamber housing said motor and compressor and having a coolant receiver chamber, said unit being mounted within the inner cylindrical tank Wall, conduits connecting said compressor, cooling and condenser coils and chamber, means controlled by the temperature of the tank to actuate said motor, a bubbler head outlet forv said tank at the top of said casing and a tank inlet for connection to a source of liquid under pressure.

FREDERICK G. RIEDEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,930,220 Askin Oct. 10, 1933 2,018,521 Heitman Oct. 22, 1935 2,064,044 Wichmann Dec. 15, 1936 2,134,936 Getchell Nov. 1, 1938 2,347,905 Hait May 2, 1944 2,359,791 Ralston Oct. 10, 1944 2,433,977 Bently Jan. 6, 1948 

